Free
by SarahRules17
Summary: Lillian Tess has been living under her parents shadow her whole life and was always expected to be perfect. Now, she's run away to start her own life and do what she pleases. Her new life seems almost perfect, but when someone starts wanting answers, everything changes. He wants her to do what's right and she isn't sure how to handle it. She thought she was free, but maybe not.R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Well, here goes nothing. I'm starting a new fanfic! I'm not exactly sure where I'm going with this, or if I'll even keep it around, but it's worth a try. Please read and Review!**

I had done it. I really went through with it.

I, Lillian Tess, really ran away.

I let out a laugh. This would finally show my parents I wasn't the perfect daughter they thought I was. They couldn't force me to do things I hated like track or cheerleading anymore. They couldn't use me to make themselves look better. They couldn't keep me away from anything or anyone. I can be my own person now.

I'm free.

I snapped Rollo's reins, wanting to go faster. I didn't know where I was going, but anything was better then where I was. I was hardly paying attention to my surroundings, which is something that always seems to ruin everything.

Suddenly, Rollo neighed and veered off the trail. I lost grip of the reins and flew off the horse, screaming. I landed, hard, and began to tumble downwards. I tried to stop myself, but it was impossible. Then, I smacked into something, which turned out to be the ground. My vision blurred together and I lost consciousness.

I woke up to something nudging me. I forced my eyes open and found it to be my horse. I blinked a few times, trying to gather myself. Rollo neighed softly, as if he were apologizing. I slowly sat up, holding my pounding head. I inspected Rollo for any serious injuries and found none. Just a few scratches.

Now I looked at myself. Nothing seemed to be broken. A few scrapes and one or two serious cuts that would need stitches. I sighed, and reached up to grab Rollo's reins. Just as I was about to grasp them, Rollo reared up and whined. He backed up, breathing harshly threw his nose.

Confused, I turned to see what had spooked him, again. Behind me stood an older man, who looked to be in his late forties or early fifties. He wore a green hat, which seemed to be covering a mostly bald head, and had a large, light colored mustache. He carried a staff with a horseshoe that had wings sprouting from either side. He approached slowly.

"Hello, dear." He greeted, not taking his eyes off Rollo, who was being a little overprotective. "Are you alright?"

I struggled to my feet and limped over to Rollo, trying to calm him down. "I'm okay. We just fell from the trail." I looked behind us to see how far we'd fallen. I was shocked to see it was at least forty feet. Thankfully, it was a slope.

"You suffered quite a fall there. I'm surprised your horse is alive." He commented.

"He's a tough one." I assured, patting Rollo's side. This seemed to calm him down a little.

"You look a little young to be on your own." He observed.

I bit my lip. "Do I? I get that a lot."

He eyed me for a moment. "Well, where are you headed?"

"Well…" I paused, sighing. "I don't really know. I was just hoping to…go somewhere. Start a new life."

His face brightened. "Really? Wonderful! You're in luck!"

Confused, I asked, "What?"

"You'd fit right in at Bluebell! It's just down this mountain. We have an open farm if you're interested."

"Really?" I exclaimed. "That sounds amazing."

He nodded. "Do you like animals? That's what my town is centered around."

I patted Rollo. "I love them."

"Wonderful! I'm Rutger, the Mayor of Bluebell."

"I'm Lillian." I stepped up to shake his waiting hand. "Thank you so much."

"No, thank _you_. I have a good feeling about you! You could help us go far."

I blushed, embarrassed. "I'll try my best. But…can I really just take the farm? I don't have much money…"

He waved his hand. "Don't worry about that right now. You working on the farm is enough. We've been waiting for someone to take over it for years."

I smiled. "Alright."

"Well, come on. I'll show you to you're new home."

I followed him, pulling Rollo behind me. My stomach did some flips as I thought about being on a farm. It just felt right. I couldn't believe I was finally starting my own life. And this time, I wouldn't have anyone controlling me.

I was beyond excited.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry for such a delay. First I had writer's block, and then my computer broke and I lost everything. So now I have a new one, and I feel like I have to start from starch on everything. I'll do my best to finish this story, if anyone's interested.**

The town's beauty astonished me. It seemed perfect to me and I already felt like I belonged. Rutger toured me around, saying he was saving my farm for last. He showed me where everything was and what I'd need to do to start my farm. It was a little overwhelming, but I felt ready to take the challenge.

As we were going past the little shop with the animal pen, I caught eyes with a guy around my age. He had green eyes and brown hair that was topped off with a hat. I could tell by looking at him that he was the caretaker of the animals. He smiled and raised his hand, waving.

I shyly waved back, giving a slight smile.

"That's your competition." Rutger suddenly said. I looked at him, surprised. He laughed. "In a friendly manner, of course. He and his family run that shop and raise animals."

"Oh." I looked back at the guy, who was now hopping the fence and coming towards us. I resisted the strange urge to hide and stood my ground.

"Hey, Rutger. New resident?" He asked, still holding eye contact with me.

"This is Lillian. She'll be running the farm." He said proudly.

"Hello, I'm Ash." He held out his hand and I took it.

"Hi." I said. He seemed to be waiting for me to say more. "Uh, nice to meet you."

He smiled. "You too. I hope to see you around sometime. I can give you some tips on farming. Have you farmed before?"

I bit my lip. "I've planted a few flowers before."

He chuckled. "Don't worry. Our town mostly deals with animals. Are you good with them?"

"I think so."

His eyes widened, and I thought I had said the wrong thing, but then he exclaimed. "Wait a minute, what happened to you?"

"What?" I asked, confused.

"You look, no offense, a mess. And you're bleeding!"

"Oh!" I looked down at my dirt covered clothes. I suddenly realized that I must look like I just crawled out of a hole. Embarrassed, I said, "I sort of fell down a mountain."

"_What_?"

"I'm okay, really. I just look a mess."

"I can help you with those cuts." He suggested.

"O-oh, it's alright." I waved him off. "I'll be fine. It's nothing serious."

He eyed me. "If you're sure…"

"She'll come back if she needs help later, Ash." Rutger told him. "We've got to get a move on. It's getting late, and I still have to show her to her new home."

"Okay." He nodded and smiled at me. "I hope you like it here. Stop by to see me sometime."

I smiled back. "Okay, I will. See you later."

We parted ways and Rutger chuckled.

"What?" I asked.

"You two sure did hit it off." He commented.

"W-what? No we didn't…we just met." I blushed.

"Relax. I'm just kidding. Don't get all flustered." He laughed.

"Right…" I said as we rounded a corner.

"Here it is!" He spread out his arms.

I gasped at the farm. It had a little bit of room for growing seeds, two animal pins, a barn and chicken coop, and a small, cute house between the two.

"It's perfect!" I exclaimed.

He smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that."


	3. Chapter 3

I didn't socialize for the next two days like I should have. I got so caught up in my farm, I basically forgot. The only time I even went into town was to get supplies, and even then I barely said a word to anyone. A part of me, I think, was scared to make any friends or do anything. I wasn't used to having so much freedom, or even a social life. My "friends" back at home were barely even friends. They, too, were forced to be whatever their parents wanted. And our parents wanted us to be "friends". And their definition of friends was just someone to study or do homework with; not to hangout or laugh with. Just to learn with.

To get to the point, I didn't know how to make real friends. It was pretty ridiculous actually. Not to mention embarrassing. From what I've read in books (the ones I actually had to sneak-read because my parents believed anything that wasn't educational was trash) and movies (same deal) it shouldn't be that hard, but I was unbelievably nervous. What if I was too awkward? Or they thought I was just weird? I don't know what I'd do then.

Eventually, I knew I had to suck it up and venture out into town. Maybe I could stop by and see Ash. He seemed nice enough and he even offered to help me out with my farm, which didn't sound like such a bad thing. Plus, I needed to invest in an animal or two anyway.

So with that in mind, I strolled into town casually. I glanced around for any sights of Ash, but he wasn't around. I figured he must be working inside the barn. For a second, I wanted to hop the fence and look for him, but then I thought against it. Would that be a little creepy? Or maybe illegal? I didn't want to find out.

I walked up to the door and spotted a sign with the store hours on it. While reading it, the door swung open to reveal a small girl with two golden locks that reached her mid-back. Along with the pigtails were two red and white bows. Her eyes widen in surprise, then she narrowed them, which seemed odd on such a cute face.

"Who are you? The new farmer?"

I nodded. "Yeah. My name is-"

"I know what it is!" She huffed, crossing her arms. "Lillian! Ash has been talking about you! I don't like it."

I was taken aback. "Uh, I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to her." Someone voiced behind me. I spun around to see Ash there, grinning. "She's just jealous. Spoiled-rotten."

The girl leaped at him and hugged him. "Ash is _my_ brother!"

He rolled his eyes. "Don't mind Cheryl. She's protective."

"Okay." I said unsurely. I was starting to regret coming to town.

"So where have you been? I was getting worried there." He asked, pulling his sister off of him. She pouted.

"Oh, uh, I was busy. You know, settling in." I coughed. "But I thought I'd come into town today. I'm looking to buy some livestock."

His face brightened. "No way! You came to the right place, obviously. You'll need to talk to my mom about that. She'll be inside."

"Okay, thanks."

"I'll come with you. Maybe I can get you a deal." He opened the door and I followed him inside. We both walked up to the counter where a plump, sweet looking woman stood smiling. She had short blonde hair, which was covered by a bandana, and laugh lines around her mouth.

"Hello there, Ash. Who might this be? The new farmer, by any chance?"

He nodded. "Yep. This is Lillian."

I held out my hand with a smile. "Hi, nice to meet you."

"And you too. I'm Jessica. I run this shop, so you can come to me with any animal related needs you may have."

"Thank you." I said. "I actually came today for that."

"Really?" She smiled brightly. "Perfect. And you know what? Since you're new and it's your first time, I'll give you two for free!"

"R-really? Are you sure…? It's okay…I can probably pay for them…"

"Yes, I'm perfectly sure!" She waved her hand. "Don't worry about a thing. Ash, go fetch her a new calf and chick, please."

"Ay-aye!" He disappeared.

"Oh, thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me… ." I stated, tears forming in my eyes.

"My pleasure, sweetie." She smiled.

….

An hour later I was the brand new owner of an adorable calf and chick. I wasn't sure on names yet, so I decided to wait on that for now. Ash went over the basics with me and assured me he was always available if I needed any help, which I thanked him for repeatedly. After he'd gone, I was sitting on the fence to the chicken coop, wondering what to do next. I knew there were tons of other towns people I hadn't met yet, but I wasn't really ready to do it all in one day. That seemed overwhelming.

My stomach growled.

I sighed. I was starving. I forgot to eat, which happens a lot. I remembered Rutger saying something about a Diner in town or something, and since I didn't feel like cooking I decided to give that a try. Plus, I might meet a few more people. I hopped off the fence and made my way into town again.

I spotted the Diner in the Northeast part of town and headed for it, keeping my head down out of habit. As I was nearing it, something caught my eye. A small, purple booth sat to the left of the Diner. I looked up and my gaze met a cold, green one. I gasped softly as my heart suddenly slammed against my ribs.

Before stood the most strikingly attractive guys I've ever seen. His blond hair reflected the sun, while his sharp green eyes reflected his cold stare. He was partially hidden beneath a purple hat, but I could still feel his eyes piercing through my own. I stood there for a long moment, like an idiot. Finally, I snapped out of it and with a blush creeping onto my cheeks, I looked down again and turned away.

As I hurried into the Diner, I could still feel his gaze on my back. I didn't dare look back.

**A/N: Another chapter! Yay! I'm a little disappointed at the lack of interest in this story, but hey. I know how it is. **

**Please Read and Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

Carefully, I peeked out the window, squinting. The sun was setting, meaning it was right in my eyes. I could hardly see a thing. I held my hand up in attempt to block the sun, which worked a little bit. Just as I was getting a visual on him, someone startled me.

"Interested?" They voiced.

I jumped, causing my elbow to knock over my glass of water. It spilled across the table and dripped down into my lap. I shot up, gasping.

"Oh, my! I'm very sorry. I wasn't expecting that." The girl said, concerned taking over her perfect face.

"N-n-no." I stuttered, still recovering. "It's okay. It's not your fault."

The girl handed me some napkins and began to wipe up the water on the table. I dabbed the water that soaked into my lap.

"I'm sorry." She said again. "I just noticed you looking at Cam and…I'm just so sorry."

A blush flashed onto my cheeks. "Really, it's okay. I was just…well, to be honest. I was hoping he was gone. That's why I was looking."

"Gone?" She asked, curious.

"Yeah…well, you see, on the way in here he seemed like he was…glaring at me. I was just hoping to avoid him. I sort of embarrassed myself in front of him."

She laughed softly. "Oh, don't worry over him. Cam is always like that. He isn't very social."

"Oh. So his name is Cam?" I asked, looking back out the window. I could see him a little better now. He looked to be packing up his stand.

"Yeah. And I'm Laney by the way." She held out a delicate hand, smiling.

I took it, feeling clumsy and unworthy. She was gorgeous, with honey blonde that was braided and wrapped up, forming a bun. Her green eyes sparkled, seeming kind and trustworthy. I tried not to compare myself to her, but was unsuccessful.

"I'm Lillian." I told her. "I just moved here."

"I heard about you." She said. "But I was wondering if you were real. You haven't been around much."

"Yeah." I said, embarrassed. "I've been busy. Sorry."

"No, don't be. It's perfectly normal. Sometimes I get so busy with baking I forget to socialize. Actually…that happens a lot." She paused, as if she were just realizing this. "Anyway, it's okay."

"Do you work here?"

"Yes. My father and I run the café."

"That's nice."

"Come by anytime." She said. "I'd be happy to make you anything you wanted."

"Thanks." I smiled.

Just then, the door chimed, signaling a customer. I glance over, only to see the person I was hoping to avoid.

"Hello, Cam." Laney called out to him.

He looked as if he was going to respond, but then his eyes landed on me. His mouth went into a tight line, and he merely raised a hand in reply and disappeared into the back.

I breathed. "Is he allowed to go back there?"

She looked at me. "Of course. He lives here."

"Oh." I said. "So, he's your brother?"

"No." She shook her head. "A family friend."

"Oh." I said again.

She laughed politely. "I know it's a little weird. But he's like my brother."

Something began beeping wildly, startling us. She gasped, looking horrified.

"Oh, no! My cake!" She scurried off into to what I assumed to be the kitchen. When the door opened, smoke began wafting into the room. I ran to the counter, hoping there wasn't a fire.

The smoke alarm continued to ring annoyingly.

Laney appeared, snapping a towel to get the smoke to part. "It's okay! Nothing's on fire."

"I'm so sorry." I said. "I distracted you."

"It's okay." She said. "I'm going to go clean up the kitchen."

"Do you need help?" I asked.

"No, I'm fine." She smiled. "Come by tomorrow, okay?"

I nodded solemnly. I turned to go and saw Cam standing in the door way to the back, looking worried. Our eyes met. His looked accusing. I sucked in a sharp breath, suddenly fighting back tears. My vision blurred and I turned away, heading for the door.

I couldn't believe I already screwed something up. What if there had been a fire? I kicked myself for my mistake. I couldn't help but think about how my parents would have reacted, and flinched. It wasn't acceptable. I'd have to make it up to Laney somehow.

And Cam…

He looked at me like I was scum in that moment. Like I had lit a match myself and threw it in the kitchen. Like I wanted that to happen.

I sighed, roughly wiping away the tears that threatened to spill over.

Suddenly, I was spun around by my shoulder. For a moment, all I saw was a hand stretched out, grasping something. Something with flower-print designs.

My wallet.

My eyes followed the out-stretched arm to see it belonged to Cam. I stared blankly at him, not comprehending. He sighed.

"You left it." He said shortly.

Slowly, I took it from him and returned it to my pocket.

"Thanks." I mumbled, turning away and continuing my way home.

"Hey," He called out. I paused. "It's not really your fault. So don't cry over it."

He sounded slightly annoyed.

"I-I wasn't crying." I lied. "The smoke just got in my eyes."

He stared at me for a second, and then smirked. "Goodnight."

He raised his hand at me as he walked away. I watched him for a moment, perplexed by what just happened.

I started walking again, my mind filled with the image of his smirking face. Maybe he wasn't so bad. Maybe I just misunderstood. I do that a lot. I had to learn to be less sensitive if I wanted to make friends, I realized. I couldn't just assume things. I sighed, thinking how stupid I was. I reassured myself I'd be okay.

I'd make it in this town. I was a new person, after all.

**A/N: Hey, sorry for the delay in uploading. I hope you like it!**

**Review :)  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry for such a late update. You know, life and stuff. It's a bummer. Enjoy! Please Review :)**

Reluctantly, I dragged myself over to the café the next day after I was finished working. I didn't particularly want to face Laney (or Cam) at the moment, but I figured I should anyway. If they thought I was avoiding them, my goal of making friends would be ruined.

I noticed Cam wasn't at his flower stand and sighed, relieved. I entered the café, only to find that no one was there. After reading the hours and days, I realized my mistake. It was Thursday, meaning the café was closed. As was Cam's stand.

I sighed again, now frustrated. Where could they be today? I didn't know anyone's schedule around here. I left the café and looked around, hoping to see someone I could ask. Then I spotted Laney and a girl whose name I heard was Georgia standing by a patch of flowers.

Suddenly it occurred to me that maybe Laney had lied. She told me to come back to the shop tomorrow.

And that's today.

And the shop is closed.

Did she do that on purpose? Or did she just forget? Maybe she was just being nice when she said that, and didn't actually want me to come back.

Or maybe I was looking too far into it.

Before I could decide I was crazy, Laney saw me and waved, motioning for me to come over. Georgia turned and grinned, also waving. I forced a smile and began walking over, dreading what was to come.

"Hey!" Georgia greeted with a cute, southern accent. She flipped her long, curly, copper hair and held out her hand. "I'm Georgia! I've been dying to meet you! And from what I've heard, you're a real blast to be around."

"Uh, excuse me?" I took her hand anyway.

Laney frowned at her, bunching up her thin eyebrows.

Georgia blushed meekly. "I heard about yesterday. To me, it was hilarious. I couldn't wait to meet the girl who actually distracted Laney here enough to ruin her baking!" She laughed, as if she were really there. "I'm sorry! That's just too good! Even I can't hold Laney's attention that long in her café."

I laughed despite of myself. Laney eventually broke her glare and smiled. "Yeah," She said. "I guess it was sorta funny."

I looked at her, "Actually, that's why I'm here. I wanted to apologize for yesterday…I feel really bad. Your kitchen could have been ruined…"

She waved her hand. "Don't worry over it. No harm done."

"Yeah," Georgia snorted, beginning to laugh again. "Except to her precious cake!"

Laney laughed. "It wasn't turning out that great anyway. Lillian might have actually done me a favor."

I smiled, feeling relieved. I guess I did overreact.

"Oh!" Laney suddenly gasped. "By the way, Lillian, I'm sorry I asked you to come back today. I completely forgot we're closed. I was a little busy at the time, so please forgive me."

"N-no, it's fine. Mistakes happen…"I trailed off as I noticed Cam off in the distance, hopping the fence at Jessica's Livestock. Laney and Georgia turned to see what I was looking at, and begin to giggle.

"Have you got yourself a little crush there, Hun?" Georgia giggled.

I blushed. "N-no. He's rude."

Laney smiled gently. "He's actually very sweet once you get to know him. He can just put off a cold personality to people he doesn't know. I guess you could say he's shy. Don't let him scare you off."

"He's just a big ol' baby." Georgia stated. "We've known him forever. He's always been like that since he moved here."

Curiosity got the best of me. "Why did he move here? Has he got family here or something?"

Georgia shook her head, her smile fading. "No…he's been here since he was seven. His family sent him here to live with Laney and her dad, family friends."

Laney looked uncomfortable. "Yeah, but maybe that's a story Cam should share, Georgia…"

She gasped. "Oh, my. You're right. I'm terrible. Just forget you heard that."

"It's okay; it's my fault for being nosey. I won't say anything." I told her.

"Anyway!" Georgia clapped her hands. "How about you both come over for dinner tonight? We could get to knowing our new friend Lillian here and have fun!"

"That's a wonderful idea." Laney said.

I smiled. "Really? Okay…that sounds like fun."

"Oh, we could throw her a party!" Georgia squealed. "Like a welcome to town party!"

Laney saw my look of utter despair and shook her head. "Overboard, Georgia. A little overboard."

She sighed. "Oh, alright then. Oh well, we just have fun by ourselves. I'll show you around and introduce you to my horses! Have you thought of getting one yet?"

She continued to babbled on about her job and the town, and Laney gave me an apologetic smile. I didn't really care though; the idea of being shown around and accepted thrilled me. I was really liking Georgia and Laney so far. I could see us being great friends one day. I happily let Georgia grab me and pull my around, because it meant I was one step closer to being a normal, free girl.


	6. Chapter 6

Turns out being a normal, free girl is a lot harder than I thought.

Georgia and Laney were both looking at me expectantly, waiting for me to answer. I coughed nervously.

"Well?" Georgia asked.

Laney frowned. "Georgia, if she doesn't want to answer, you can't force her."

I sighed. I knew I'd have to tell them about my old life eventually, I just didn't want to do it now. I gazed across the town from my perch on Georgia's fence. The sun was setting and no one was in sight. I looked over at the girls again. Laney had a concerned frown on her face, while Georgia had a curious smile. I couldn't help but notice how different they were from each other. I smiled slightly.

"It isn't a big deal actually. I'm just not used to talking about it." I tapped my chin, thinking. "I'm not sure where to start."

"Let me help." Georgia said cheerfully. "Why did you move here?"

I hesitated. "To start a new life."

"Why'd you need to do that?"

"Because my old one sucked." I paused. "My parents were control freaks. They wanted me to be perfect. Perfect grades, perfect school, perfect looks. It was suffocating."

Georgia's smile turned into a frown. "That's just terrible."

"Yeah. They just used me to make themselves look better. I couldn't do anything out of my own free will. I couldn't even choose my own friends, they were chosen for me as study partners. As soon as I turned eighteen, I bolted. I ran away and ended up here."

Laney gasped. "You ran away?"

Georgia seemed more surprised at my age. "You're only eighteen?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Freshly eighteen? Dang honey, you're young."

Laney frowned at her. "Georgia, we're only a year older than her. Stop overreacting."

"But Cam is almost twenty! Do you think he'll mind?"

I blushed. "What? Why does that matter?"

"You know why!" Georgia beamed. "I can see it now…you two holding hands, riding on horses into the sunset…" She sighed happily.

"Does everything have to do with horses with you?" Laney asked.

Georgia ignored her. "It'll be so cute!"

I shook my head. "G-Georgia! I just moved here. I'm not…I don't like him or anything. It's too early to assume anything."

"It's never too early!" She hopped off the fence and spun around to face me. "I know for a fact you've caught his eye."

"W-what?"

Laney shrugged. "Actually, that might be true. But I do believe Georgia is taking it too far."

"Yeah, she's looking too much into things."

"Exactly."

"Excuse me!" Georgia cried. "I am not! I'm an expert at love!"

"Pairing up your horses to breed isn't the same thing, Georgia."

Georgia's face grew pink. "Laney! I know that!"

I laughed. "Thanks, Georgia, but I don't think I'm ready for anything like that. I just got my first two real friends; I can't handle my first boyfriend just yet."

"First?" Georgia cried, covering her mouth. "You've never had a friend or boyfriend?"

I frowned. "Wow. I must sound pathetic."

Laney reached out and laid a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You're free now, right?"

Georgia smiled and grabbed my hand. "She's right. You're free to do what you want now. And you have us to help you out!"

I smiled at them, thankful. "That means a lot. Thank you guys."

"I have an idea! Let's go for a ride up the mountain."

"Georgia." Laney sighed.

"Do you have your horse still? Is he all healed up from the fall?"

"Yeah, he's good." I nodded. "A ride sounds nice."

"Well then, come on!" Georgia took Laney's arm as well, smiling.

"Oh, alright." She sighed.

I laughed along with them, feeling lighter than I did when I woke up that morning. I didn't even miss my parents, I realized. I was so excited about my new life, and didn't even care what they thought of me now.

**A/N: Sorry for such a late update! Things have been busy. But it's Christmas break, so hopefully I'll have time to post more chapters. **

**Merry Christmas! And please Review :)  
**


	7. Chapter 7

It's been a few months since I've run away and ended up here in Bluebell. And it's been the best few months of my life, by far. I've become great friends with Laney and Georgia, and even Ash. Ash has been helping me take care of my animals and even helped me get started with owning my first cat. Laney and Georgia are convinced we like each other, but that isn't the case. I value him as a friend, and he feels the same way.

As for Cam…

He hasn't acknowledged me since he returned my wallet. I tried waving at him once while walking past his flower stand one morning, but he completely ignored me and turned away. I was hurt. Really hurt. But after a while of this behavior, I figured he wasn't worth it. If he wanted to be that way, then fine. Why should I care? Not everyone has to like me.

I mean, even if I still get butterflies when I see him…

Wait, what am I even thinking? I shouldn't feel that way.

I sighed, hopping off my fence to check on my animals once more before I headed into town to meet Laney and Georgia for lunch. Mostly, I was checking on my cat, who I was sure would run away.

I'd never owned a pet before, and I found it hard to believe that a cat wouldn't wander off and leave if I let her outside. But Ash assured me that she wouldn't leave, because she was trained or something. He also added she would stick around since I fed her.

I found her sleeping against the fence of my chicken coop, and two of my chickens were pecking around inside the fence. I smiled and reached down to pet her.

"You're a good cat, Willow." I cooed. She mewed and stretched out, yawning.

I looked at the time and saw it was time to go, so I said my goodbyes to Willow and the chickens and headed into town.

…

It was almost dinner time by the time I was finally able to go home. We spent a little too much time at the Diner, and then we got caught up helping Ash with a broken fence. Apparently one of his animals freaked and broke it. It had to be fixed immediately or else one of the other animals could get out and into trouble. We didn't mind though, we had a great time fixing it together. In fact, my cheeks still felt sore from laughing so much. I was almost home when I noticed someone trailing far behind me.

Even though the sun was setting and it was getting darker, I could tell right away it was Cam. I silently wondered what he was doing, but I didn't say anything.

That annoying feeling in the pit of my stomach wouldn't shut up, however.

I suddenly hoped he was going to catch up to me and apologize for being so hostile towards me lately, but I realized that was insane. And when I turned onto the path to my farm and he kept walking, heading to the river, I knew I was stupid for thinking that he'd actually do something like that.

I shook my head at myself and chuckled a bit. I began returning my animals to their respective homes, and when I got to my chicken coop I noticed there was only one chicken in the pen.

I stood for a moment, before realizing that Willow must have returned the other inside and either forgot this one, or was getting around to it. I picked up the chicken and went inside the chicken coop.

After putting her down, I looked around the coop, but found no sign of the other chicken or Willow.

And that's when I started to panic.

"Where are they?" I breathed, turning to go back outside. It was growing darker by the minute and I didn't see them anywhere. I called for Willow and searched the entire farm, but I didn't find either of them anywhere.

I looked towards the entrance of the farm and it occurred to me that they couldn't have left. But why? And how?

What if a wild animal got them? The thought brought tears to my eyes and I dashed out of my farm. I looked towards town and figured I would have noticed if they were there, so they must be somewhere else. I ran towards the river.

"Willow!" I called when I reached the river. I scanned the water, dreading that she could have somehow drowned. By now, it was dark and hard to see. I tried to focus on the trees and behind the trees, but there were too many shadows being casted due to the moon. I frowned, new tears forming and spilling over. I felt helpless. My breath hitched as my throat closed up, and I buried my face in my hands.

Something touched my shoulder and I whirled around in terror. But I saw it was only Cam and relaxed. Then I got extremely embarrassed that he caught me crying, and at the fact I lost two of my animals.

"Hey…" He said slowly. "What happened? Did you lose something?"

In the back of my mind I wondered why he even cared, but I nodded, choking out "Yeah, I-I can't find my cat o-or my chicken. They're gone!"

He looked concerned. "I saw a cat run into the mountain when I first got here. That was probably her, right?"

My eyes widened. "You did?"

I turned to look at the path that leads into the mountain. It was dark and I was afraid, but I had to look for her.

"Did you see my chicken?" I asked, wiping away my tears.

He shook his head. "No."

I bit my lip. Then I nodded. "Okay, thanks."

I started walking towards the path, wondering if my chicken went that way too. Maybe Willow was following her? If that was the case, that meant she hadn't run away, and that made me feel a little relieved.

I noticed Cam was following me. I looked at him, confused. "What….what are you doing?"

He frowned, his eyes narrowing. "I can't just let you look alone. It's dark and it could be dangerous. I don't…want that over my head if you got hurt."

"I…I thought you hated me." I told him, crossing my arms.

"I don't hate anyone." He said defensively.

"Then why haven't you been talking to me?"

"Why _would_ I talk to you?" He snapped.

I stopped walking and looked at him, hurt. "Oh…"

His expression softened a little. "Look, I didn't mean it like that. I…"

"No, it's okay. Sorry to have bothered you about it." I said.

We walked in silence for a while. I tried to focus on looking for Willow, but it was difficult. Even though I wanted to find her so bad, I was distracted by Cam. What he said hurt, but what else could I expect?

I saw something move near a bush and stopped, but it was just a rabbit. I sighed. Cam caught up next to me and stood there for a second.

"Hey…Look, I didn't mean it in a mean way. I just—" He started.

"You don't have to make up some lie to comfort me." I interrupted him, suddenly irritated.

He glared at me. "I'm not making anything up."

I ignored him and continued walking again.

"Hey, stop!" He reached out and grabbed my arm, stopping me. I glared at him. He looked angry. "I'm just trying to apologize! What is wrong with you?"

"What is wrong with _you_?" I yelled. "From the second I came here you've been nothing but rude to me. I tried being nice, but you just ignored me and turned your head. What did I do to make you so cold? I mean, seriously!"

Tears formed again, but I refused to cry over him. Cam looked shocked. His mouth hung open slightly, and his grip on my arm loosened. I pulled it away and turned to go.

"It's not you." He said quietly.

I waited. "What?"

He sighed. "You're not the reason I act that way…I mean, you are, but not personally. That's just how I am. I don't…I don't know how to act around new people. I've always been kinda distant. I didn't mean to offend you. I just don't know you."

I let that sink in and I believed him. Laney did say he was shy. Maybe I overreacted. I tend to do that a lot…

I turned to him. "I'm sorry...I overreacted."

He shook his head. "No…I guess you didn't. I can understand where you were coming from."

I looked down at my feet. "I usually don't get so mad. I'm sorry."

He was silent for a second. "Let's just keep looking for your cat."

I nodded and we began searching again. This time Cam walked right beside me.

**A/N: Heeeey guys….I feel really guilty that I just left this story for a while, but the fact that not that many people read it anyway made me feel a little better. But if you've been waiting for this chapter, I'm sorry! I'll try to update more frequently. Blame school! It's all schools fault! I've been too busy, and it's my senior year. It's hard to keep track of everything.**

**Plus, it's hard to focus on this story anyway since I've been obsessed with the new Harvest Moon since I first got it (which is like, right after it came out). I haven't played ToTT in months, even longer than I last updated in this story! So it's hard to get into writing this when I just want to play that and write about that one. Plus, it's hard to remember details for ToTT when I haven't played it in so long. **

**Well, anyway, I'll try to keep this story in track and finish it soon. I never planned for it to be that long in the first place. Thank you for your patience!**

**PS: Sorry for any mistakes! I didn't have time to review this chapter! Bare with me!**

**Please, please review! :)  
**


	8. Chapter 8

It was getting late and I was growing even more concerned by the second. Hundreds of scenarios of what could have happened to them ran through my mind, and none of them ended well. I nervously glanced at my watch again, noting it was after midnight. I looked at Cam, and wondered why he was still even bothering with me. I could tell he was tired, but he insisted on helping me. I slowed to a stop and looked down at my feet.

I sighed. "Maybe…maybe it's no use tonight. Maybe they're already back at my farm?"

Cam crossed his arms. "I don't think we should stop."

"We've spent so much time inspecting every place we could find, they could be long gone by now. They could have passed us going back…"

He shook his head. "No, I was watching out for that."

I sighed again. "Then what do we do? Search all night?"

"Are you saying you want to give up?" He asked me incredulously.

"N-no." I managed. I didn't want to admit I was exhausted and my feet felt like they were bleeding. I also didn't feel like mentioning that I missed dinner and was starving. "You're right. Let's just keep going then…"

I started to walk again, despite my faintness. My foot caught on something and I stumbled, and after losing my balance, I fell. Cam wasn't prepared and couldn't steady me, though he tried.

"Are you okay?" He asked, crouching down at my level. I breathed and looked at my knee, which was scrapped up pretty badly. I stared at it for a long moment. "Lillian?"

I looked at him, tears forming in my eyes. "Cam…"

He frowned. "What is it? Are you hurt?"

I shook my head. "How could I let this happen? I was supposed to take care of them, and look what happened. Maybe…"

I buried my head in my arms and curled up, and mumbled to myself, "I shouldn't have run away."

"What?" Cam asked. "You shouldn't have what?"

"Nothing." I said. I didn't feel like explaining it to him.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me up and onto my feet. Making me face him, he asked again, "What?"

I looked away without answering him.

"You ran away." He said, dropping his arms. I looked at him, surprised. If he heard me why did he ask me?

"I…"

Just then we heard a soft mew from somewhere. My head snapped in its general direction, and I spotted something on the trail ahead.

"Willow?" I called. I went towards the figure and found that it was in fact Willow, with my chicken in tow. "Willow!"

I scooped her up and hugged her. "Oh, my gosh, you scared me."

Cam came over and picked up the chicken. "This chicken must have gotten away and she went after it to bring it back home."

I sighed in relief. "Thank goodness they're safe."

We began to walk back, but I started to get really dizzy. My vision blurred a little bit and I stumbled again. Cam caught onto my arm.

"Maybe you should sit down for a minute."

I didn't want to, but I knew I had to or else I'd faint. I nodded and we sat against a big rock. Willow and the chicken sat on one side of me and Cam sat on the other. After a few minutes of silence Cam spoke up.

"Why did you run away?"

I remained silent for a second. I wasn't sure I wanted to share anything with Cam, but I figured I owed him for helping me tonight. I sighed and began my story, and even accidently got into a few extra stories about my old life with him. I didn't know why, but it felt nice to tell him my feelings. I knew he probably didn't care to know every detail, but he seemed to listen intently throughout my whole story. After I was finished, he didn't say anything for a long time.

Finally he said, "I know that is terrible and all, but family is important and you just left them."

I was shocked. I looked at him, anger swelling up inside my stomach. "_What?_"

He looked at me seriously. "You should have told them how you felt, not me. You shouldn't have run away. They're probably worried."

"Are you kidding me?" I cried. "They don't give a crap about what I want! They only wanted me to be perfect so they'd look good in other people's eyes!"

He glared at me. "You don't know that. Look, I don't like it when people don't appreciate their family. I lost mine. I'd give anything to have them back. But it's useless."

I frowned. "W…what?"

"My father left, and my mother was left to look after me. But she was in poor health. She couldn't do that much. So she sent me here, and I never got to say good bye." He said in a tight voice.

I didn't know what to say, so I said, "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well, don't be." He crossed his arms and looked away from me.

"Cam…" I reached out to touch his arm, but he jerked it away. I felt a lump form in my throat. Suddenly, I was doing what I refused to do for years. Cry over my parents.

He was surprised at my outburst. This time he reached out to me. "Lillian, don't cry."

I glared at him through my tears. "You don't understand! My p-parents won't just suddenly realize what they've done and apologize! T-they'd just force me to go back to my old life if I went back!"

He frowned. "I-"

"No, don't even." I sobbed. "I've been trapped there my whole life, and when I'm finally free, _you're_ trying to make me feel guilty about it! All I wanted out of this was to get somewhere that would show my parents that I can be successful by myself, doing what I actually love. I wanted them to actually be proud! Not act like it around guests and then when they're gone, criticize me and tell me everything I've done wrong."

I stopped suddenly, realizing what I was saying. I shouldn't even be telling these things to Cam. I didn't even know him that well. I looked away from him, ashamed at myself for letting myself getting so far.

After a few moments, Cam said, "I'm sorry. I spoke out of line. I don't know your situation, so I had no right to say anything. I'm sorry, Lillian."

I took some deep breaths, finally starting to stop crying. I tucked some loose hair behind me ear and looked at him. He looked sincere.

He hesitantly reached out and took my hand. "I didn't mean to make you cry…at all tonight. I've done it way too much."

I nodded slowly, staring at him in awe. It was like I was sitting next to a completely different person. This person cared. This person was actually sorry. He didn't have that distant look in his eyes; instead it was replaced with an intense gaze.

I felt myself blushing, and I got a crazy urge to lean in and kiss him. And if I wasn't completely insane, it looked like he wanted the exact same thing.

I couldn't stand it, so I pulled my hand away gently and looked away. I took in a big, shaky breath and said, "It's okay, Cam."

A couple of long minutes went by and I could feel my eyelids growing heavy, and my body slouching.

"Are you tired?" Cam asked.

I nodded. "Yeah...let's just sit for a few more minutes and then we can go…"

I felt him wrap his arm around me and he pulled me onto his shoulder. I was surprised, but I was too tired to react. I just relaxed into him and sighed.

"Just close your eyes for a few minutes" He told me.

He didn't have to tell me, they were already closed. I felt myself being pulled into slumber. But before I fell asleep, I noticed Cam smelled like flowers. Normally that'd be weird, but it was perfect for him. I smiled and gave into sleep.

**A/N: Hey, I actually updated quickly this time! Yay for free time and the end of the school year. I hope you guys like this chapter. Let me know?**

**Please Review!**


	9. Chapter 9

When I opened my eyes I was in my bed. At first it didn't even faze me, but then I remembered what happened last night, and sat up so quickly my head spun. I looked around, but no one was in sight. I noticed it was unusually bright and checked the time.

"Almost noon!" I exclaimed. I groaned, knowing I was way behind on my chores for the day. As I got ready, I tried not to think about the embarrassing fact that I must have fallen asleep and Cam carried me home.

But no matter how much I tried to repress it, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I began to think the worst.

What if I was too heavy? Did he struggle?

What if he had undressed me?

That thought made me drop the bag of chicken feed I was carrying. My face flared and I groaned. This was terrible. I couldn't believe I put him in that awkward situation. I watched as my chickens gathered to eat the feed I had dropped, not caring whether it was in the feeding area or not. I was relieved to see the missing chicken along with them.

Even though I'd hate to admit it, I was grateful that Cam was there to help me. Without him, I might have given up. I might not have found them. But then again, Willow did seem to know where she was going. I sighed, brushing my hands off on my pants.

Maybe it was all for nothing. I could have just waited for them to return. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how much I overreacted. They would have come back on their own. Willow was just doing her job.

Cam probably thought I was an idiot. He was just trying to be nice. I sucked in a sharp breath as I remembered what else happened last night.

I had told him about my life before I moved here. I even wanted to kiss him.

Oh, goddess, how could I be so stupid?

He probably thinks even worse of me now, especially since he reacted the way he did.

I frowned at myself, wondering how I ever thought I could possibly make it on my own. Maybe Cam was right; maybe I should go back. I couldn't do this on my own. I was too weak.

I sat on the ground against my fence, hugging my knees. I fought the silly urge to cry. I knew the risks when I ran away. I just had to get through this. It wasn't even that big of deal.

I knew that.

But I still found myself feeling terrible.

This is not at all what I'd expected.

I buried my head in my knees and took a deep breath.

I'd be okay. I just needed to look on the bright side. I had two good friends here to help me if I needed it. I comforted myself with this thought, but there was still something bothering me.

I sat there for a while, collecting my thoughts. I don't know how much time passed, but my stomach told me it was getting close to dinner time. I was just thinking about what I should do when I heard someone walking towards me.

I looked up to find Cam standing there, with his hands behind his back.

I blushed, and hurried to stand up. "O-oh, hey Cam…"

"What are you doing?" He asked, looking puzzled. "You haven't come into town at all today."

"Well, I woke up late." I explained. "So I was behind."

"Oh." Was all he said.

We stood there for a few long moments. I avoided his eyes and felt tightness in my stomach. Finally, I sighed. "I'm sorry about everything."

"What?" He asked.

"I overreacted about the situation. About everything that happened."

"You said that before. But I don't believe you did. You were just worried. That's perfectly normal."

"Yeah, but…" I frowned. "What you said got to me. Maybe I should just go back to being my parent's perfect child. I didn't mess up as much then."

"No!" He said sharply. When I looked at him, surprised, he blushed a little. He looked away. "I mean, you can't just give up. You came out here for a reason. Your parents need to see that you can be something on your own. Like you said last night."

"But…" I trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Here." Suddenly he was holding something out to me. "This is a Stephanotis. It means good luck."

I took the little white, star shaped flower, smiling. "Thank you. It's beautiful."

He shifted his feet. "So…yeah, I just wanted to tell you good luck. You know, with everything. I, um, think you can do it. But I also wanted to say that maybe you should contact your parents somehow? Just to let them know that you're okay. You don't want them to worry, right?"

I thought about it. "Well, I guess I could send them a letter…"

He smiled. "Thank you."

He turned to go, but I stopped him. "Wait. Thank you. You did so much for me in less than one day. Uh, I'm also sorry that you had to carry me home last night. You could have woken me…"

"It was no problem." He muttered, scratching the back of his head. "You were light anyway."

Before I knew what I was doing, I was hugging him. He was taken by surprise, but after a moment he lightly returned my hug. "Thank you, Cam."

"Y-yeah, you're welcome." He coughed, gently stepping back. "Well…I'll see you around."

"Okay." I said. My stomach suddenly made a loud growling noise. Embarrassed, I clutched at it. "S-sorry. I'd better go make something to eat…or something."

He chuckled and nodded, then began walking away. I sighed, looking down at the flower in my hands. It was a simple thing, but I loved it anyhow.

I was just about to head inside when I heard Cam call my name. I looked up and saw him at the entrance.

"Would you, uh, want to have dinner with me at the diner?" He asked. He was too far to tell, but I think he was blushing. "So you don't have to bother making something…"

My stomach flipped, and I grinned. "Yeah, sure! That'd be great. One second."

I ran inside and put the flower in a glass of water. It wasn't that tall, but I wanted to keep it alive as long as I could. Once I set it on my nightstand, I went back outside to meet Cam.

**A/N: Hey guys, has it been long? I can't tell. Time is moving too fast for me. Too fast for me to finish all my crap for school Dx Oh well. I decided to write this instead of doing homework, so yay for procrastination! **

**I hope you all like this chapter. It's nothing special, and sort of rushed and unorganized, but it's better than nothing, right? **

**Sorry for any mistakes! **

**Please Review! :) **


	10. Chapter 10

I shielded my eyes from the sun and sighed happily. I was finished with my work for today, which meant it was almost time for Cam to stop by.

Ever since the day the incident with Willow and the chicken happened, we've been hanging out a lot more. He usually stopped by around lunch time and we would eat together. Sometimes I made something, or he'd bring something, or we went to the diner. I never cared about that though, I was just happy to see him.

We never talked about what it meant. We never talked about the lunch itself. It just happened after he first asked me to eat with him. I definitely didn't want to bring my feelings into this and scare him away. Georgia said I should let him make the first move, if there was to be one. I wasn't sure how Cam felt about me. I knew my feelings, whether I wanted to or not. I liked Cam. A lot.

But I couldn't do anything about it. I wouldn't. It'd be too risky.

Laney wants me to take action. She's convinced Cam likes me, because she claims he's been happier lately. But I refused to consider it. It just makes me nervous when I did.

I decided to go inside and clean a little while I waited. My kitchen was a mess after my attempt at cooking a new dish last night. I began scrubbing away at the crusted remains of who-knows-what off my counter and stove. Before I knew it, I was done and my kitchen was spotless. I looked around, wondering if I had anything else to do. A wilting flower caught my eye.

I picked up the flower Cam had given me weeks ago. I knew it would die eventually, but I was still sad to see it in this state. I wasn't sure how long it had been dead. I removed it from the glass and poured out the water. I held the wilted flower in my head, unsure as to what to do with it. I didn't want to throw it out; that just seemed cruel. So I set it on my bookshelf for the time being.

I looked at the time and wondered where Cam was. He was usually here by now. I looked out my window and saw a figure standing at the entrance to my farm. I smiled and opened my door to go meet him. But as I drew closer, I saw it wasn't Cam; it was Ash.

"Oh, hey Ash." I said, a little taken back. "What can I do for you?"

"Hey, Lillian" He smiled. "Sorry for dropping by so expectantly. I just wanted to give you something." He held out a bag of animal treats. "I know it's not much, but I wanted to say thanks for bringing life back to this town. And for what you've done to help the relationship between our town and Konohana."

I smiled and took the bag. "Aw, thank you. But really, it's nothing. I really haven't even done that much."

"Sure you have. And you've done so well taking care of your animals. It's amazing! So use these treats to make them even happier." He chuckled a little.

"I will, thank you, Ash."

"They're also from my mom." He told me. "Actually, it was mostly her idea…"

I laughed. "Okay, I'll be sure to stop by and thank her as well."

"Hey, while I've got you here, there's been something I've been meaning to ask you…" He stepped a little closer.

"Do you—." He started to say, but a cough interrupted him. We turned to see Cam standing there, looking angry.

"Oh, hey there, Cam." Ash greeted.

"C-Cam!" I said. "There you are. I've been wondering where you were."

"Doesn't look like it." He said flatly.

"W-what?" I asked, confused. Then I realized he must have thought something was going on between Ash and I. What he walked in on was a bit suspicious, even to me. I had no idea what Ash was going to say, and I was afraid to know. But then I wondered why he'd even care.

"Whoa there." Ash said. "No need to be like that. I was just about to ask Lillian something kinda personal, ya know?"

Cam glared. "Like what?"

Ash held up his hands. "Oh, I know what you're thinking. It's nothing like that."

I twisted the bag of treats in my hands nervously. I had no idea what was going on.

"Then ask her."

Ash sighed. "I said it was personal…"

Cam frowned even more and turned to leave. "Whatever."

"Aw, fine." Ash said, defeated. Cam paused. "What I was going to ask you, Lillian, was…do you know if Georgia likes me?" He was blushing madly, and wouldn't look me in the eye.

Slowly, my face broke out into a grin. "Oh, I see."

"Shut up." He muttered. "Just answer the question?"

I laughed. "Ash, I don't know if I should. That's sort of going behind her back. Why don't you just ask her yourself?"

He frowned. "Because it's embarrassing. I didn't even want to ask you in front of Cam."

Cam huffed. "If you wanna know so bad, go ask her yourself. Don't bother Lillian about it. You're plenty old enough to work this out yourself."

"Cam." I frowned. "It's okay. Ash can come to me about anything. That's what friends are for."

Ash sighed. "Nah, he's right. I should just suck it up and go ask her out. How else am I going to find out?" He smiled. "Thanks a lot you guys."

"Good luck." I told him.

He said his goodbyes and left. Cam and I stood silently for a few moments.

"What was that about?" I asked him.

"What?" He shrugged.

I crossed my arms. "You know what. Why were you so mean?"

"I wasn't."

I sighed. "Fine. Why were you late?"

"I was helping Laney with something."

"Oh."

It was awkward. I hadn't felt this was around Cam in weeks. I didn't like it. He was distant from me.

"Have your parents replied to your letter?" He suddenly asked.

"What?" I asked, surprised. This was random.

"You letter. You sent one right?"

I was silent. I realized I never did. I knew I told him I would, but I never did. I half forgot and half didn't want to. I bit my lip and gripped the bag in my hands. I wanted to lie and say I did, but I knew that wouldn't end well.

"Um…"

"You didn't." He stated. "You never sent one."

"I was going to…" I told him quietly.

"No you weren't. You lied to me." He accused.

"No I didn't!"

He shook his head and turned to go.

"No, wait, Cam. Please. I'm sorry." I grabbed his wrist. "I was putting it off. I don't know what to say. I'll write it though. I promise."

He sighed. Slowly he turned to me again. "You will?"

"Yes." I said. "I know I should. It's just hard to put it down on paper."

"Okay. I understand." He said. "Sorry."

We stood there for a minute. I didn't know what to say. I glanced up at him, only to find him staring at me.

"I thought Ash was going to ask you out." He told me.

I blushed a little. "I did too, sort of. But I knew he didn't feel that way about me."

"You don't feel that way about him, right?"

"Of course not. Why?"

His face was a little pink. "Never mind. It doesn't matter."

"Are you sure?"

"No." He pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing loudly. "I don't know."

I frowned, wishing he'd just say what he really felt for once. It was driving me crazy. He was confusing me.

Suddenly he groaned. "Lillian, I was jealous when I thought he was going to ask you out."

I looked up at him, but before I could speak he was talking again.

"Because I like you." He blurted out. "I…"

He stopped, covering his face with his hand. I stood there, shocked. So he did like me. He liked me back. I felt amazingly happy. I could tell he was really embarrassed, so I refrained from laughing at myself. I didn't want him to think I was laughing at him.

I smiled and gently removed his hand from his face. "I like you, too, Cam."

He stared at me, and then he was leaning down towards me.

When he kissed me, I felt like my chest was going to burst and I felt dizzy. I dropped the bag of treats and wrapped my arms around his neck, returning the kiss.

It was a perfect first kiss.

….

That night, I sat down with a pen and some paper. I was determined to write a letter to my parents. After an hour, I managed to squeeze out something that resembled a letter.

_Mom and Dad,_

_It's me, Lillian. I'm sure you were surprised to see me gone. I'm sorry if I made you worry, but I'm fine. I just needed to get away and start my life. I can't really explain everything without hurting anyone, so I won't. _

_Just know I'm okay. I hope you can accept this._

_You don't have to reply. It might be easier if you don't._

_Again, sorry._

_-Lillian_

I frowned at the letter. It was stupid, but I couldn't make it any better. I stuffed it in an envelope and addressed it to my parents, and then went outside to put it in my mail box.

I went inside and to bed, excited to tell Cam that I had done it.

**A/N: Hey, wow it's been a while. Sorry. I've been way busy with school. But guess what? It's over! I'm graduating soon and then I'm free until I'm sucked back into it in the fall, when I go to college. But oh well. I'll enjoy it while I can. **

**Hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you for reading!**

**Please Review! **


	11. Chapter 11

"You know…it might be easier if you rip along the dotted line. Where it says 'open'" Cam chuckled. I glared at him as I once again tried to rip the bag of seeds open. I'd been struggling to do so for a few minutes now. It was pretty humiliating. I'm supposed to be a farmer.

"I got it." I told him.

He laughed, leaning his elbows on his legs. "Okay, let's see it then."

We were sitting on my field and he was helping me sow some flowers. He wouldn't let me know what kind they were. He even went as far as removing the labels from the packets. He insisted it was a surprise.

I paused. "Can't you just open them? I swear, they're super glued shut."

"Nope." He shook his head. "You have to do this. I thought you were a farmer."

"I am!" I cried. "But these stupid packets just won't open."

"Try once more." He encouraged. I sighed, and placed my fingers on either side or the packet, attempting to pry it open. His eyes widened. "No-wait!"

The packet finally gave way and it exploded, sending seeds everywhere. I sat there in shock for a second, and then began to laugh. Cam attempted the gather some of the seeds, but it was useless. They were almost microscopic. He started to laugh along with me, tossing the seeds he managed to gather in my direction.

"Next time, don't open it that way." He smiled at me. I grinned back, feeling my heart swell up. I loved it when he laughed and smiled. Ever since we started dating, he's been doing it a lot more.

I went to say something, but was stopped short when I glanced behind him. I couldn't believe my eyes.

"What?" Cam asked, his face growing serious. He turned around.

"Lillian." The women said calmly. The man next to her glared at us.

My parents.

My mouth hung open. I didn't understand. I couldn't.

What were they doing here?

Silence hung thick in the air. I couldn't help but notice they looked so out of place here with their fancy clothes and done-up hair. My mother's face twisted into a face I knew well. It meant I was about to be scolded.

"Lillian Tess, where are your manners? Stand up and greet your parents." She ordered.

I scrambled to my feet. "Y-yes, mother. I'm sorry…"

Cam slowly stood up too, standing beside me. I noticed he was standing further away than normal. I swallowed, wondering how they found me. Then I remembered the letter. I didn't even think not to put a return address on it. What had I been thinking?

"Well, Lillian, I have no idea what you were thinking when you up and left." My mother said, folding her hands in front of her and pointing her chin up. "How could you leave your own parents without a proper goodbye?"

I felt uneasy. I knew I was about to get into something I would regret. "Well…I knew you wouldn't ever let me leave. I had no other choice."

Her face flushed with anger. "You had no right to leave! You had a perfect life! Of course we wouldn't have let you go. Why would you ever want to leave?"

"Because it wasn't my life!" I cried.

Her eyes widened. I had never raised my voice at her before. I fought the urge to sink back down and apologize.

"I know you know better than to yell at your mother." She said sternly.

I took a deep breath, willing myself not to cry. "I'm eighteen. I'm an adult. I can do what I please."

My father suddenly stepped forward. "You will not speak to your mother that way. You are still our daughter, whether either of us likes it or not. You will do what we say."

I bit my bottom lip, and despite my best efforts, tears rolled down my cheeks. I felt a hand slide into mine, interlocking fingers. I looked at Cam, sorry he had to see all this. He squeezed my hand.

"And who is this?" My mother said tightly. "And what is this dirt hole?"

I frowned. "This 'dirt hole' is my home. I'm a farmer here. I'm very successful. And this is Cam, my boyfriend."

"This is unacceptable. No daughter of mine will be running a shabby _farm_ or dating common folk." My father told me.

My mother reached out, grabbing my other hand. "You will be coming home. Now."

"No!" I cried, pulling back. "I'm never going back there. I will _not_ let myself going back to being your perfect show toy. I'm sick of it. I'm my own person now."

"Lillian." My father said. "Don't be stupid. We know what's best for you. You'll be coming home with us."

He took my arm and pulled me towards him. My hand lost Cam's, and before I knew what was happening, I was being dragged away. I pleaded with him, but he wouldn't listen. I knew this would happen. I looked back at Cam. Why did he make me write that stupid letter?

Cam suddenly dashed towards me and grabbed my hand.

"Stop!" He yelled. My parents stopped, out of shock. My father grip loosened for a moment and I tore myself away. Cam pulled me behind him, holding my hand.

Cam glared at my parents, his jaw clenched. He looked pissed. My parents returned his glare. I nervously looked between them. It was a stand-off.

What was even happening anymore?

**A/N: It's been awhile, I know. But from the looks of feedback, no one really noticed, so no harm done I guess. I hope whoever is reading this fic likes it. Let me know! Feedback is really encouraging…**

**Anyway, Please Review! It'll mean the world to me, even if I don't end up replying to all of them. **


	12. Chapter 12

"What do you think you're doing?" My mother demanded.

"What do you think _you're_ doing?" Cam responded. "Lillian is capable of making her own decisions and you shouldn't be forcing her to do something she doesn't want to do."

"She'll thank us later, when she has a successful job and a steady income." My father replied. "The occupation of a…_farmer_ cannot possibly bring her that in life."

"Yes it can!" I told him. "And I don't even care about that. I just want to be happy. And doing what you guys want isn't making me happy."

"You can't always be happy in life."

"_Yes,_ you _can_." Cam replied. "Lillian is happy here and now. And so am I."

"Happiness isn't everywhere. You have to sacrifice happiness if you want to excel in life." My father frowned at me. "We want you to excel at life."

Cam sighed. He looked around for a moment and then he suddenly walked away. I watched him search the ground, and then kneel to pick something up. He came back over holding a Dandelion. He held it up to my parents.

"This is a Dandelion." He explained. "This flowers meaning is happiness. It grows almost everywhere. It's usually considered a weed, and no matter what you do it seems like you can't get rid of them. But that's sort of what happiness is. It's always there…and even when it's gone, it'll always come right back. Just look around for it and you'll find it. And after a while, you begin to see the Dandelion not as a weed, but as something beautiful. But some people can never truly appreciate this flower, and will constantly try to kill it." He paused. "That's what you're doing with Lillian's happiness. You can't spend your whole lives trying to make Lillian's life perfect, because nothing is perfect. She can decide what makes her happy, and if running a farm in this small town is what makes her happy, then she has every right to do so. Don't rip all the Dandelions out of her life."

As I listened to Cam speak I couldn't help but tear up. He was defending me with a flower. The thought almost made me laugh. I felt love for him swell up in my chest. Then I remembered my parents. I looked to them to see their reaction.

They stared at him for a long time, and then looked at each other. I was surprised to see tears in my mother's eyes.

"I've always wanted the best for you, Lillian. And I always thought what I was doing would give you that. I never considered what you wanted…and for that, I am so sorry." She wiped her face with the back of her hand, a gesture I've never seen her do. Actually, I never even had seen her cry before. "I wanted the perfect family and daughter, but I never realized I already had one from the moment you were born. I should have let you grow up making your own choices."

I went to speak, but my father butted in. "What are you talking about? Because of what we did she excelled at school. If we hadn't she could have ended up dropping out, or worse."

I glared at him. "_What_? You have no idea what I could have done without being forced. I would have done the exact same things you were pushing me to do, but I would have actually wanted to do them. I like learning, but you're constant pushing and forcing made it unbearable! Because of what you did, I ran away. _You_ pushed me away. You _forced_ me to choose to run away. And that's the last thing I'll ever let you force me to do. It's the only good thing you've ever done for me."

My father stared at me, looking hurt and angry. Then he suddenly went slack. "You…you may be absolutely right."

"She is." My mother cried. "We never let her show us what she could do. Why didn't we…why _did_ we…" She began to really cry.

I couldn't believe my ears. They were actually acting like real human beings. I smiled and wiped my tears away. "Thank you guys for finally understanding. I can't believe it, actually…"

My mother shook her head. "This boy, Cam, made me realize what I've been doing to you. I can never tell you how sorry I am. I wish I could do it all over."

"Me too, but what's done is done. Now all we can do is look for the Dandelions in our lives." I smiled at Cam and took the flower from him. "Mine is right here."

My parents nodded. My father held is hand out to Cam and they shook hands. "Thank you. Take care of my daughter."

Cam nodded. "Of course."

For a few moments it was silent. It quickly grew awkward and I didn't know what to say. Things were changing so fast, I couldn't keep up. My parents were okay with me staying. They were sorry. They understood how I felt. It was unthinkable.

"How about I…show you guys around town?" I offered after clearing my throat. They slowly nodded. I took Cam's hand and we led them off my farm and into town. Cam smiled at me, and I smiled in return. He took the Dandelion and tucked it behind my ear.

I was smiling so big, I was afraid it actually fall out.

**A/N: Oh, gosh this chapter. *dies***

**I'm not very happy with it. The only part I like is when Cam is taking about the flower. And I rewrote that like 20 times. Anyway, I'm sorry I don't update regularly. I'll try harder to do so! I feel like this story is coming to an end soon. I never planned for it be as long as my last one. Let me know what you think of it so far!**

**Please review! I love you all! **


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